


You Cast a Spell on me

by Laisaxrem



Series: This is Us (english version) [23]
Category: Naruto
Genre: F/M, Fluff, Short One Shot, Yamanaka Week 2021, and a little bit of angst i think, but only at the beginning, mention of miscarriage, parenting
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-01-05
Updated: 2021-01-05
Packaged: 2021-03-15 22:06:53
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,180
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28571232
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Laisaxrem/pseuds/Laisaxrem
Summary: It's the party for the birth of the Ino-Shika-Cho's 17th generation and while Ino rests a little bit, Sai is asked a strange question.
Relationships: Minor or Background Relationship(s), Nara Shikamaru/Temari, Sai/Yamanaka Ino
Series: This is Us (english version) [23]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1976788
Comments: 4
Kudos: 27





	You Cast a Spell on me

**Author's Note:**

  * A translation of [You Cast a Spell on me](https://archiveofourown.org/works/28571193) by [Laisaxrem](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Laisaxrem/pseuds/Laisaxrem). 



> DATE: Wednesday, 15th December 1687  
> TITLE: Glad you Came - The Wanted
> 
> Yamanaka Week 2021. Day 3: Parenting / ~~Art & Crafts~~ / ~~Legacy~~

«How the hell are you doing this?»

Naruto’s startled voice roused Ino from her thoughts.

With the birth of Inojin the seventeenth generation of the Akimichi, Nara and Yamanaka clans was finally complete, so, as per tradition, they had given a party to which the heads and elders of the other clans were also invited, as well as the Hokage and their closer affections… practically half Konoha was present. The only place large enough to welcome everyone was the Nara compound and Shikamaru, a little muttering (but always with a small smile on his face), had agreed to host them all that afternoon.

Naruto was staring at Sai who was holding Inojin gently in his arms as he fed him. Their baby was only ten days old and he was so small that he fit all on her husband’s forearm. Every time she looked at them, that she looked at the two most important people in her life, she felt her heart swell in her chest. It was the best feeling she had ever experienced and yes, it repaid a thousand times the pain of childbirth, and the tribulations in pregnancy… and miscarriages.

Not that it was easy to care for a new-born. For nothing. He had crazy schedules, ate constantly and when he didn’t eat he slept or cried or had to be changed (or cried because he had to be changed, or cried because he was hungry, or other combinations of the four). It was exhausting. A couple of times she had even fell asleep for a few seconds with the baby still attached to her breast and it scared her to death. In fact, Ino had never been so afraid in her life. Not even during the War, when she thought she was going to die at any moment. This, what she felt now, was a completely different fear. Because she feared not for himself but for Inojin. She was afraid he might hit his head, choke in sleep or slip under the water during the bath… and he had only been there for ten days. Not that for the previous nine months she hadn’t been afraid of subconsciously hurting her little one (and yes, now she realized she had been a little nagging with Sai and her mother and would sooner or later apologize to them), but she always did had the certainty that she would protect him with her body. Literally.

But now. Now that little creature was something separate from her and this put a fear of the devil on her. Sometimes she felt physical pain just to part with him. Damn, she now understood why some kunoichi didn’t return on missions after giving birth, or why her mother had always had a funeral face every time she went out to meet Team 8: Inojin had only been born ten days and yet she felt unstoppable inside herself a desire to straighten out every twisted thing in the world just to make it a safe place for her baby. Kami-sama, she had to calm down or she would go mad.

With a considerable effort she buried (for a while) those thoughts in her mind and went back to chat with a very pregnant Sakura, one ear strained to listen to the conversation between Naruto and Sai.

«How do I do what?» her husband asked, his tone a little uncertain.

In the nine years since he was free of Root control, Sai had made enormous progress in interpersonal skills and in expressing his feelings. There was still work to be done on some aspects but Ino was a little surprised every time she saw a genuine smile on his face, or sensed an emotion from the tone of his voice.

«To hold him like that», Naruto explained, and when Sakura leaned slightly to the side to watch the scene, Ino felt justified in doing the same.

«Just place him on your arm and against your chest, keep his head still and –»

«Not like that. Like that _that_!» the other insisted and Ino had to admit that she had no idea what Naruto was saying. And judging by the expression on his face, it was the same for Sai too. Their friend probably realized this because he hastened to find other words to explain himself. «You hold him as… I don’t know… as if you had all the security in the world, as if it were a very simple task!» Naruto gestured a little towards the new-born and Ino felt the urge to go to them and tell him to _keep those fucking hands away from her baby_. But actually Naruto was at a safe distance… at least that.

«I still don’t understand».

Naruto sighed. «It’s just… Shikamaru dropped Shikadai-chan in my hand for a few minutes before and… I don’t know… I was completely _terrified_. As if he could fall from one second to the next. And he was just _sleeping_!»

«Oh», was Sai’s only response, his gaze falling towards Inojin who was still sucking, his eyes closed, his hands clasped to his chest.

«Mmm. It’s a matter of habit», Shikamaru intervened, approaching them at a slow pace, his little son tight to his chest, sleeping blissfully. «And it’s easier than it looks».

«Said the man who at first was afraid of changing a diaper…» Temari retorted, causing general laughter, as she approached her husband and leaned against his side with a light shoulder-bump. «And he gave me back Shikadai as if he had been covered in exploding tags».

«Well, it’s normal to be afraid», Sai broke in, his face thoughtful. «Shikadai is the most important thing for him as Inojin is the most important thing for me. Of course we are afraid. But we are fathers. We fight fear so that our children face less of it, right?»

Oh.

In the past, some acquaintances had asked her, insistently, how she could bear to be with a boy like Sai, so strange, so emotionally _different_. And they said it as if it were some kind of flaw, or an inconceivable thing. Here, that was one of the many times she wanted to take those people and throw at their face how _wonderful_ her man was.

Not resisting the temptation anymore, she got up and walked over to her two boys while Temari nodded and leaned over on tiptoe to give Shikamaru a light kiss.

«You’re absolutely right, Sai».

And Ino hugged him, wrapping her arms around his waist and sinking her face between his shoulder blades, feeling the fatigue shrink a little, as if with his mere presence Sai was charging her. But after all, she knew what it was that made her feel better. It was love, just love. She knew it was going to be a long and hard road, raising their baby, being a family. But she had learned a lot of lessons from her father and being a family was one of them.

«I love you», she whispered into his clothes. And after a last hug she returned to the party.

**Author's Note:**

> Another thing born a bit like a joke this morning.  
> Actually the central line, the one about "is talking the one who was afraid of changing diapers" was something I wrote years ago for KakaSaku. Many years ago (don't make me tell you how many, please). It was a drabble a hundred words long. I liked the concept a lot but I had never had the opportunity to reuse it... until today. Although it didn't turn out quite as I had imagined at first. I wanted something light, ironic, that made you smile. But you get this. I'm sorry.


End file.
